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It is engagement season! With the “Merry Christmas” is the “marry me”! According to WeddingWire’s 2018 Newlywed Report, 38% of engagements happen between the months of November to February. Hearts are thumping at the prospect of a new journey, and before that, wedding preparations. One of the most imporant tasks of the couple in the time leading up to wedding day is writing their wedding ceremony script.

Luckily for couples in 2019 and beyond, there is Wedwordy! It is the only Web app for writing your wedding ceremony script. Why choose Wedwordy?

EFFORTLESS

Stop scouring the Internet for ceremony samples and fragments. In one app, you have everything you need! Wedwordy makes time for what matters – composing your words of love together.

COMPLETE

Wherever you are, whenever you’re ready, confidently compose your complete script with all the ceremony parts from the processional (your wedding party order) to the pronouncement (the officiant declares the two of you as newlyweds).

PERSONALIZED

With Wedwordy, be inspired to personalize each moment of the ceremony. You can edit any of the passages or import original content. Make your wedding words as special and unique as the two of you!

And whoever you choose as your officiant, whether friend or professional, let them know they can use Wedwordy as a starting point! Wedwordy makes composing your wedding ceremony script fun and easy because we know that there are a lot things on your wedding checklist. Wedding ceremony script – CHECK!

The elopement trend has captured the hearts of many young couples wishing for something more than a courthouse exchange of “I do’s” and less than the overwhelming prospect of a big wedding production. Couples want something in between – romantic, memorable, meaningful – shared with just a few close family and friends.

Wedwordy is perfect for an elopement! The Web app makes it convenient to compose meaningful and personal wedding words in a relatively short time, which meets the “spur of the moment” energy of an elopement. Composing ceremony words with Wedwordy begins with choosing one of eight templates (Christian, Secular, Filipino/Latino, Short & Sweet, Spiritual, Catholic, Vow Renewal, and Custom). Except for custom, the other seven contain pre-selected passages. If the couple chooses to keep the passages, they can simply save, share, and print, and voila! a complete wedding ceremony script!

What’s fabulous about Wedwordy is that all the templates have ceremony elements that can be re-arranged, and the pre-set passages can be completely edited or switched out for other passage options! So, it is both convenient and customizable. And because the Web app can be used anywhere and printed anywhere, destination couples can begin their Wedwordy script at home, complete it at their bed and breakfast, and have their officiant print it for the wedding.

Officiants of Tan Weddings & Events have collectively officiated over 1500 beautiful weddings! From their experience, they share a few gems that will make your wedding ceremony sparkle and shine!

Secure Your Officiant, Like NOW!

If you are hiring a pro officiant, don’t procrastinate! The best ones book really fasy, especially during the peak wedding season. Also, not waiting until the last moment gives the officiant ample time to get to know you and compose words with you.

Use Wedwordy to Compose Your Script.

Whether your officiant is a pro or a friend you’ve tapped, you can use Wedwordy to compose your custom wedding ceremony script. You might want to write the script entirely on your own, or collaborate with your officiant. Either way, Wedwordy gives you the balance of convenience and personalization. Go with a template with pre-set elements and passages, if the script suits your needs. Or create a completely custom ceremony. Or blend it, and make it your own. Wedwordy gives you peace of mind with a complete, formatted ceremony, ready for your big day!

Rehearse, But Don’t Stress if the Ceremony Does Not Go Exactly As Planned.

Your coordinator, independent or venue, will often facilitate it. It’s not always easy to have every member of the wedding party present, so you can ask accompanying friends and family to serve as proxy. Have fun with the rehearsal! The main components are figuring out the processional order, the ceremony formation, and the recessional. Talk to your Wedding party about NOT chewing gum, or wearing sunglasses! Coordinate the height of bouquets, and where hands are during the ceremony. Determine who will have the rings. If being given away, choreograph with your escort! If on the wedding day, your coordinator can get guests seated, your Wedding Party lined up, bouquets and bouts ready, rings ready – then you’re good to go! Don’t sweat the details, and certainly don’t worry if your Flower Girl dumps all the petals in one pile on the aisle – it makes the wedding day just that much more memorable and genuine!

Hold Hands, Gaze Lovingly!

Throughout the ceremony, hold each other’s hands and look at one another. Smile. Squeeze or stroke each other’s hands to let your partner know you both got this! Holding hands keeps you at a nice, intimate distance for your photographers, for mics to pick up your vows, and for your officiant to be close and personal.

Your Officiant Should Step Aside for the Kiss.

Unless you want your officiant to be awkwardly gawking above you during your newlywed kiss, you should advise your officiant to step to one side (of course, if your officiant is a pro, they already know this). Your officiant will feel more confortable, and the pictures will look much classier.

Breathe. Soak in the Love!

It’s hard not to care for your own health and sanity during the week before the wedding. Make yourself the priority – not selfish at all – just know your vendors got your back, and your friends and family are rooting for you! Catch your breath. Hydrate. Eat. Sleep well. Open yourself to positive energy flowing your way.

Every couple has a uniqe story of how they met and fell in love! Share yours in your ceremony to give it added intimacy, personality, and humor. Your guests will love it. Here’s how with Wedwordy.

Select the element “Story | Admire”

In your ceremony sequence called the “Elements Flow” in Wedwordy, add “Story | Admire” from the Elements Library.

Place it in your Elements Flow

A great place to tell your story in the ceremony is after the Greeting, when your officiant has welcomed the guests. In Wedwordy, simply drag the element Story | Admire to the position below Greeting in the Elements Flow page, and Save Draft.

Select the passage “Story of How We Met”

When you click on the element Story | Admire, it opens two passages you can choose from. Click on the passage “Story of How We Met”.

Respond to the prompts

Read and reflect on the prompts and you can start typing in your responses to help you organize your thoughts. You might decide that this is the section of your ceremony you will hand off to your officiant to draft your story. In which case, simply give your officiant access your draft or you can paste it in after he or she has written it. Here are the prompts:

When, where, and how did the two of you meet?

What attracted you to each other?

When did you begin dating officially?

When would you say you fell in love?

When did you become engaged?

What qualities do you admire in each other?

What do you enjoy doing together?

What do you look forward to in your married life?

Draft your story

From your responses, you or your officiant can begin drafting your story. It may undergo some revisions and refinements. If your officiant wrote it, you should review it and be clear that he or she follow the script (if you want to avoid the unexpected sharing of too-personal information!).

Here is a finished story!

Borrowed from our friends at Tan Weddings & Events, here is a story the officiant wrote for the couple. (The names have been changed.)

In a restaurant bar with billiards, one would expect to hear patrons enjoying meals and playing pool. However, on an evening in March of 2015, the clack of balls bouncing from a pool table onto the floor, followed by hysterical laughter, would draw some attention. Honing in on the mildly annoying cackle, Michael was amused to see a beautiful young woman with a pool cue! It was Lauren, who was there on the invitation by her potential employer. She noticed Michael staring at her half annoyed and half intrigued!

Despite her lack of pool skills, Lauren got the job and by July, had moved to San Francisco to begin work at the firm, where Michael was as a designer. They introduced themselves to each other, and sat in adjacent desks. Lauren and Michael discovered how much they enjoyed conversations with each other. They talked about favorite TV shows, and places to eat in San Francisco. After work, genuinely concerned for her safety, Michael would escort her home, leaving her to her routine of staying in and binging on How I Met Your Mother. Michael did his best to convince her to get out more and explore the City.

On a company outing, a co-worker blurted out to Lauren, “You should totally marry Michael!” Lauren responded, “Are you joking!?” Michael was within earshot and feigned disinterest.

With those words planted in each of their minds, the two spent more time together at work and friendly conversations became intimate. One evening in October, Micahel was determined to kiss Lauren. He also had been thinking of quitting his job, so if Lauren rejected his advances, he would simply leave work the next day to avoid the awkwardness. Well, luckily they kissed, and he kept his job.

The couple began dating, spending every moment together. Lauren eventually left her apartment since she hadn’t even used her keys for the past two months! She moved in with Michael on Valentine’s Day of 2016!

Their friendship and romance has grown. They enjoy time at the beach, obsessed with brunch and snorkeling, and driving up and down the coast just to talk for hours. They travel far to beautiful tropical locales, and near to the neighborhood diner every weekend for breakfast and coffee.

The couple shares a mutual admiration. Lauren says this of Michael, “Michaelgets stuff done, he is obsessed with efficiency and optimizing things; he really, really cares about doing things the right way; he’s extremely empathetic, and he is the absolute most hilarious and ridiculous person I’ve ever met.”

Michael, in turn, admires Lauren for the following, “Her ability to be the very best at anything she takes on – she used to be the absolute most terribly worst cook on the planet; her love of spreadsheets, which maximizes every experience; how she makes me feel like the funniest person on the planet; and Lauren inspires me to have the confidence we will be happy together forever.”

On that evening of March 2015, for Lauren who did not show much proficiency with billiards, she landed the one perfect shot in her corner pocket – Michael!

https://wedwordy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IEWED-29.jpg11522048Wedwordyhttp://wedwordy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Wedwordy-White-Logo-2-01-1030x307.pngWedwordy2018-04-21 10:51:262018-04-21 10:51:26In Your Ceremony, Share the Story of How You Met

So you’ve tapped your friend or family member to officiate for your wedding. It would be an honor, certainly. And quite a responsibilty. Here is a a comprehensive guide for what it takes to be exceptional in this esteemed role. Consider three important components: Authority, Capability, and Eloquence. Think A-C-E.

AUTHORITY

Who Can Perform the Ceremony?

In the United States, those who can legally perform weddings are a county clerk, judge, justice of the peace, or an ordained minister/member of the clergy. Despite popular belief, ship captains are not officially recognized in the US as having the authority to perform a wedding.

How Can a Friend Perform a Ceremony?

A friend or family member must be ordained for the purpose of serving as an officiant. Also, make sure to check on your local government’s requirements. A multi-denominational organization such as the Universal Life Church makes it easy to become ordained online – just tell your honored officiant to go the ULC website and follow the prompts. Celebrities such as Lady Gaga and The Rock have done it! Imagine, Reverend Rock…

What Are My Officiant’s Official Duties?

The two main responsibilities of the officiant are performing the wedding ceremony and completing the marriage license paperwork.

CAPABILITY

What Qualities Should My Officiant Possess?

Whether you choose a professional or a friend, your officiant should possess qualities that make him or her the perfect fit for your wedding. Of course, “perfect fit’ is very subjective. Yet, it is worthwhile mentioning that exceptional officiants will possess the following qualities: dependable, enthusiastic, genuine, compassionate, and confident.

What Skills Make My Officiant Up to the Task?

Less subjective is the skill set of exceptional officiants. The task should be approached like a job – not in the sense of drudgery, rather with a sense of integrity. To successfully fulfill the duties that come with this job, the officiant should be quite proficient with these skills: timely communication, organization, initiative, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

ELOQUENCE

What about Eloquence?

Eloquence is described as “fluency and power to stir emotions.” A wedding ceremony seems like a good place to practice such moving speech! Your officiant’s goal may not be to rally troops to battle, persuade a jury, or secure a sale, but, in a wedding, the words your officiant delivers should be heartfelt, to have authority and impact, to move people.

How Can My Officiant Prepare?

Before the wedding day, have your officiant PRACTICE the script. Remind your officiant to do the following in preparation for the big day:

Say the words out loud, project your voice.

Note what words and phrases need emphasis.

Get an understanding of the general tone of the script.

Visualize standing in position and be poised.

Make eye contact.

Deliver the words in a measured, but natural pace.

Speak from the chest and throat, not the teeth.

Be sincere, funny, whatever matches the narrative.

Is It OK for My Officiant to GO Off Script?

The officiant is speaking on your behalf, representing you! You were thoughtful in composing your ceremony words with Wedwordy, choosing passages carefully and intentionally. We recommend staying ON script. A professional officiant can deftly handle the occasional ad lib when appropriate, but especially for novice speakers, the script provides a level of security. Avoid the embarrassment of an inappropriate story or joke by your officiant friend: remind them to stay on script, that the wedding day is your day, not open mic night at a comedy club!